1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to personal hygiene and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a shower mounted dental hygiene dispenser for dispensing a hygienic fluid such as a mouthwash to aid in dental hygiene.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
As is well known, a regular and effective dental hygiene regimen is an important factor in combating gum and tooth disease and decreasing dental health problems. In recent times, advancements in the art of dental hygiene beyond conventional methods of brushing and flossing have included devices that discharge a stream of pressurized water. This discharged water enables a user to irrigate the mouth, eject food particles from between teeth, and clean above and below the gum line.
One well known variety of such devices comprises a unit placed on a counter surface next to a sink with a reservoir that is filled with water or with a mixture of water and hygienic fluid. Such devices generally employ an electrical pump to direct a stream of water from the reservoir to an applicator nozzle by way of a hose member. Although such devices have been commercially popular, these devices have not been without attendant problems such as the annoying noise and vibration of the pump, a propensity to create a mess on the counter from the discharged water, and the potential risk of electrical shock.
Advancements in the art to address such problems have included devices exemplified by references such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,569, issued to Martin and U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,687, issued to Lih-Sheng.
These and other related references teach the use of an applicator nozzle attached to a water source, such as a sink or in a shower or tub, by way of a hose and an attachment member for directing a stream of water from the water source to the applicator nozzle, thereby enabling the user to effectively irrigate the mouth. Such devices eliminate the annoyance and potential hazard from the use of an electrical pump, relying instead upon the pressure of the water from the water source to propel the water through the applicator nozzle. In addition, insofar as those devices used in a shower or tub are concerned, these devices eliminate the mess associated with a counter-top unit by attempting to restrict the discharge to the confines of the shower or tub.
Additionally, devices have also been developed that provide a pressurized stream of water from a water source mixed with a hygienic fluid, such as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,564,005, issued to Marchand et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,914, issued to Thompson. These and other related references teach the use of either solid pellets that dissolve in a stream of water to provide a mixture of water and hygienic fluid or the use of a liquid that is emitted from a reservoir and mixed with the flow of water to provide the mixture.
Nevertheless, advancements in the art are still necessary to address problems related to the control of the mixing and the discharge of the water or the water and mixture of hygienic fluid. Pressurized water from a domestic water source is typically presented to the devices described hereinabove and regulated by the selective opening of manual valves which often do not enable the user to properly set the appropriate pressure of the water or mixture. It is known that a pressure of from 20 to 25 psig (pounds per square inch gauge) is recommended for safe and effective dental cleaning, and that excessive pressures may cause discomfort or even injury to gum tissues. Typical domestic water systems may provide water pressures of 75 to 100 psig, and so this pressure must be effectively reduced and controlled. Contrawise, some domestic water systems, especially well systems, may also experience fluctuations in water pressure during use of a device, further compounding the problem of accurately controlling the pressure of the discharged water or mixture.
Further, it is desirable to provide a dispenser with improved hygienic liquid discharge characteristics. This would provide effective and uniform rates of discharge so that the flow of hygienic liquid and the resulting mixture concentration is precisely controlled and that all the available hygienic liquid in a dispenser is effectively discharged before the need to replenish the source arises. It is to such problems with the prior art that the present invention is directed.